John Spellar MP: Govt must not turn back on British business with White Paper

John Spellar MP: Govt must not turn back on British business with White Paper

A Labour Party MP has called on the UK government to use the Gambling Act review to demonstrate its support for British business ‘success stories’. 

Writing in The House for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), John Spellar MP cited the likes of bet365 as an example, pointing to the international operator’s status as the biggest private sector employer in its home city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Taking aim at the governing Conservative Party currently led by its third Prime Minister in three years, Spellar argued that UK businesses have continually been let down – such as passports being made in Poland and shipping contracts handed overseas.

With the Gambling Act review judgement apparently due early this year, having been in development since December 2020 and being delayed several times last year, and the IMF warning of an imminent recession, the MP stated that betting ‘needs some certainty’.

He added that “the government need to ensure that any changes that it is proposing in a new Gambling White Paper are sensible and proportionate, not suggestions such as imposing blanket affordability checks at very low levels”. 

“This will only fuel the growth of the lucrative and unregulated black market, which has none of the safer gambling measures in place in the regulated market and contributes nothing to the UK in terms of jobs, taxation or investment in the sports we all love,” Spellar further explained.

As well as companies such as bet365, the UK betting industry is a success story in general, the MP continued, referencing a report from EY – often raised by the BGC – showing the extent of the industry’s contribution to the British economy and sports.

This includes 110,000 jobs nationally – 20,000 in the West Midlands – with projections for a further 15,000 in tech, as well as £7.1bn to the general economy, £4.2bn in taxes to the Treasury, £350m to horse racing, £40m to the EFL, £10m to darts and snooker and £2.5m to rugby league.

The BGC has often warned of a ‘black market threat’ to UK consumers should the betting space be overregulated, and Spellar reiterated this viewpoint as outlined above.

Again referencing another report commissioned by the BGC, he noted that imposition of stricter gambling regulations in France and Italy has contributed to 66% and 57% of all cash staked in both countries being via illicit operators.

He concluded: “At a time when the public finances are in disarray, the country cannot afford for thousands of punters to be heading offshore to the black market. Any money spent there will not contribute to the UK economy nor funding our essential public services.

“We cannot have this uncertainty for such a large and successful industry going forward. That is why the Government needs to get on with publishing the Gambling White Paper, providing protections where they are needed but must not put at risk yet another British industry.”

SBC News John Spellar MP: Govt must not turn back on British business with White Paper

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